


Do You Believe In Miracles

by foreverinprinxietyhell



Category: Impractical Jokers
Genre: Age Difference, Anniversary, Aromantic!Q, Asexual!Q, Awkward Sexual Situations, Confrontations, Depression, Emotional Abuse, Emotionally Repressed, Gift Giving, Growing Apart, Heart-to-Heart, Living Together, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Making Love, Mixed Signals, Prostitution, Relationship Advice, Self-Loathing, Serious Talks, Slice of Life, Starting Over, Starting a new life, Stealing Money, Stress, adoptive dads, aftersex cuddling, alcohol drinking, getting jobs, getting kicked out, homeless teens, matching pracelets, proposal, protective!Sal, reassuring words, resolved emotional tension, taking advantage of kindness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-16 07:52:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12338514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverinprinxietyhell/pseuds/foreverinprinxietyhell
Summary: Sal and Murr are both younger (in their early twenties) compared to Q and Joe (in their early forties) to add to the emotion of this fic.





	Do You Believe In Miracles

**Author's Note:**

> Sal and Murr are both younger (in their early twenties) compared to Q and Joe (in their early forties) to add to the emotion of this fic.

Years of battling between a professional persona and a private life, the forty year old actor still struggled with his sexuality especially during the drive back and forth to a home shared with three adopted cats; the real question that usually plagued his mind was _Am I going to live alone for the rest of my life?_ , which seemed to be more prominent than ever as traffic continued to crawl forward at an annoyingly slow pace. Grunting disapprovingly, Brian tried to turn into what seemed to be an open lane when a sparkling green gaze caught unaware attention to the point of nearly crashing into the vehicle inches away from the front bumper.

“What’s the big idea, wise guy, tryin’ to make me cause a wreck?” 

“Figured you’d be the kind of guy interested in a good time,” the younger one stated with a simple shrug of the shoulders, “Doesn’t look like you’ll be getting home tonight anyway, there’s a hotel pretty close by.” 

“I’m guessin’ you know the area pretty well, huh? Care to give me directions?” 

Hesitating for only a moment at the sudden sincerity of such a question, the passenger side door was opened to allow him into a plush cushioned seat as a shortcut was suggested to avoid getting into another traffic jam. Doing as told, Brian turned onto a quiet side street for a few moments until rounding a corner into an almost entirely vacant lot, a single nod indicating that this was the location as the two walked in to go through the checking in process before being directed to a modest room on the second floor, door closed behind them to give an appropriate amount of privacy as the youngling pressed backward into the white painted wood, “Didn’t take much convincing, I usually don’t get this lucky.” 

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Do you hear me complaining?” 

“Fair enough,” the older man remarked with a nervous little giggle as he watched layers of clothing slip off without a second thought, “Y’know we don’t have to rush into things. Not gonna win my favor by jumpin’ a gift shark in the mouth.”

“Just getting comfortable is all.” 

“If you say so, uh…?”

“Salvatore, but you can call me Sal for short, Mr. Quinn.”

“You can just call me Q, most everyone does.”

“Now that we’ve got formalities outta the way, are we gonna get down to business or not?” 

“I was gonna ask the same thing, but why are you taking your cock out?”

“’Cos you wanted to fuck me?” 

“I think there’s been some kind of misunderstanding, I just wanted to get high.” 

“You thought I was a dealer?” he asked in obvious annoyance, arms crossed over a bare chest puffing out in defense, “For fuck’s sake, why’d you think I suggested coming here in the first place?” 

“I mean, I can’t drive while stoned off of my ass…”

“’Cos a random stranger has your best interest at heart? Thanks for wasting the time I could’ve been using to make ends meet.” 

“Look, I didn’t mean to cause any trouble,” he explained hastily, trying not to get tongue tied out of embarrassment, “You can keep the room since it’s already paid for, I gotta get goin’ to my cats.” 

“Fine, I guess…” 

“Again, I apologize for the mix up. Maybe you’ll find someone else who wants to get lucky.” 

“I know the perfect person for that.” 

“See? Not such a bad trade after all.”

“When you put it like that, I guess not.”

Bidding an awkward farewell, luck was wished upon the young guy who could have easily passed for his son rather than be a romantic partner before leaving the rented room to return to the humble abode of an apartment as had been intended earlier that night to be greeted by three mewling felines desperate for attention. It did not take long for him to forget about the awkward ordeal that had transpired, sighing softly in contentment as his adopted children curled in respective positions around a thick comforter, their purrs lulling him to sleep without worry about over how close he had come to being forced into a sexual situation. Groggily getting awoken by multiple vibrations coming from a silenced cell phone, Q blindly answered without looking at the caller identification expecting it to be his best friend when a friendly, but serious voice came from the other line to inquire about extra purchases such as pay-per-view, the mini bar, and room service combined with an in room massage, which alerted the man that such an act of charity had been fully taken advantage of.  

“Time wasting asshole,” Sal muttered aloud, combing unkempt fingernails through a tuft of chestnut hair as a significant other was cradled closely in the crook of an arm, “Can’t believe he thought I was a dealer. Do you know how hard it was to get this designer jacket? A weed dealer, for fuck’s sake, I’m not some teen in a dollar store hoodie.”

“Babe, don’t even worry about it, you’re such a looker that he wouldn’t know what to do.”

“Someone sounds a little jealous.”

“Can you blame me? I’m partial to the guy who saved my life.” 

“You’ve got a point, sweetheart.” 

“Now, order some more champagne?” 

“Comin’ right up,” he declared, calling down to the lobby as they had done last night before using the opportunity of having a warm bed to make love for the first time in months, two full flutes of clear alcohol clinking once the drinks had been passed around, “To the poor sap trusting people he doesn’t know.” 

“Won’t be my last mistake, but I plan to rectify it,” a husky voice spoke up to startle the two as the man in question entered with another man full of anger following from behind, “Any last words before you get an ass kickin’?” 

“Look, fellas, there’s been a misunderstanding. I don’t know who this guy is, he just invited me over.” 

“James, you piece of shit…” 

“Nice try, but the proof is starin’ us straight in the face under some seriously disheveled blankets.” the additional presence chimed in, “Is that all you have to say?”

To their surprise, the younger men started to plead to not be taken to the police as offers of giving them any kind of pleasure that could be imagined and coming up with schemes to get back more money than had been spent, the slightly older of the duo pressing uncomfortably close to his partner as their foreheads pressed together, “Guess this is how it ends, huh?” 

“Seems like it… I love you, ya know?” Sal whispered a little louder than intended, olive toned cheeks flushing slightly, “I swore to take care of you, and I failed.”

“Shh, you did your best. I love you for trying so hard, and so much more.” 

“Wait, Joey…” Brian interrupted at seeing them confess how much they cared for each other, “We can’t beat ‘em up, it’d be like kicking a sack of kittens.” 

“After what they did to you, bud?” 

“C’mon, look at how scared they are.”

Aside from mutterings of potential goodbyes covered with soft sniffles and trembling bodies, youth could still be seen under the hard exteriors created by a life filled with struggle, “They’re just kids, we can’t do this.”

“My point exactly, but we can’t just do nothing. Can’t let that one steal or sell his body to strangers during rush hour.”

“They can stay with me,” Joe reasoned unexpectedly, going from a willing fighter for justice into the role of hero, “I don’t have much they can take advantage of anyway.” 

“Nah, I should take them in, I'm the reason Sal’s here in the first place.” 

“What does he mean by that, babe?” James asked, dark blue eyes rimmed with red as he finally caught the end of their conversation, “Thought you said he was a family friend?” 

“It doesn’t matter right now, I’ll explain some other time.” 

“But Sally…”

“Hush, I think they’re deciding what to do with us.” 

Turning their attention toward the intruders, Murray could not help feel a level of intimidation that caused a shaky soul to continue panicking even though no harm had come despite the original demeanor beginning to dissipate. Teary eyes glancing between the older ones, he gave a hard gulp before stuttering out a begging voice, “Please don’t hurt him too badly, he doesn’t deserve it…”

“Damn it, guys, we’re not gonna do that anymore,” Q sighed as his companion added extra weight to the mattress to provide a comforting shoulder to finish crying on, “We’ll give you a few minutes to clean up before you come home with me.”

Silent nods exchanged, they were left to their devices for fifteen minutes before the couple came out with heads hung down n a bit of shame, a darker toned arm wrapped in a protective way around the almost non-existent waist as they were led to an awaiting vehicle, his air of attitude reserved while holding the smaller boy in his lap, “You’re fine, we’re safe now.” 

“Can’t help being a crybaby, you should know that by now.” 

“Nothin’ to be ashamed of, at least our lifestyle hasn’t hardened you too,” Sal sighed, nose nuzzling into the unprotected shell of an ear as the designated driver joined them inside of the jeep, “I won’t let anything happen to you, if I can help it.” 

Little conversation went around the cab on the route repeated from the previous night, Brian eventually pulled up to the humble home and escorted them inside with a careful watch just in case as they were investigated by the other three residents, “Rule number one, you treat those little guys with nothin’ but respect, they were once homeless too.” 

“Fine by me, they’re cute!” James cooed, scooping up the splotchy black and white kitten and nuzzling her closely into a narrow chest, “Look, Sally, she likes me!” 

“That’s nice, just don’t get the fur ball near me.” 

“He got attacked by a stray when we were on the streets,” he explained to the pet’s owner so not too much offense was taken to the comment, “That’s why my shirt’s torn, I had to wrap up the scratches.” 

“Couldn’t go to a hospital?” 

“That was our first month out on our own, we barely had enough money to eat. We got used to it though, we’ve gone without food for weeks on end.” 

“Let me guess, your only wholesome meal was last night?” Brian questioned sympathetically, two pairs of downcast glances indicating that was true, “Well, we’ll have to fix that with some lunch.” 

“You don’t have to take pity on us, y’know…” Salvatore pouted, a pouty lower lip sticking out to increase the snarky remark.

“You could be in the slammer instead and I bet you’d be put in separate cells too.” 

“Son of a bitch… When you put it like that, I guess there’s no room for argument.” 

“You act like that’s a bad thing.”

Watching the way that he clung on for dear life as if his partner would be taken away at any moment, Q could not help noting how drastically the delinquent’s behavior became whenever it came to his partner, the same protective stance from earlier taken as they sat on the couch while the host busied with making enough to eat. As he attempted to ignore the two to try and allow them some sort of privacy to apologize for barging in, a conversation could be overheard while he stood near the stove where the slightly older one suggested that they give the ‘old man’ a chance.

“It’s the least we can do, why don’t you try being a little nicer?” 

“Forgive me if I don’t trust an adult right away since the last ones we were around put us into this situation.” 

“He’s not like our parents, not bothered by us being together.” 

Heart faltering at learning such sad news, he realized that deep seeded anger was a justified response to being mistreated for a quality that was beyond their control, trying hard not to let his own frustration out as a distraction was found in stirring a heated pot of softening noodles as a tray of garlic bread was carefully pulled from the oven, “Boys, food’s ready.”

“Smells nice,” Sal said simply as he thought back on what the other had suggested, “I, uh… appreciate what you’re doing for us, sorry if I didn’t seem grateful at first.”

“Don’t sweat it, hon.” 

“Why are you helping us though? I stole a shit ton of money from you, but here you are giving us something to eat.”

“Believe it or not, I’ve had my share of tough times,” he replied nonchalantly, placing twin pink plates filled with spaghetti in front of them before taking a seat directly across the horizontal edge of the hardwood table, “I’d hate to think of what’d happen if you came across someone not so forgiving.” 

“Sally, how’d you meet this guy anyway? You promised to tell me.” 

“Oh, it’s a funny story. We met while I was trying to get some extra cash by, uh, selling myself.”

“What?!” Murray exclaimed in disbelief, flinching when his fork gave a twang of vibration from hitting the platter as it fell from his light grip, “Is this what you’ve been doing late at night when you don’t come home until early morning?”

“Guilty, but for the right reasons.”

“Baby, please… You don’t have to do this,” he choked out as a fresh wave of liquid emotion began to brush against slightly dampened eyelashes, empty stomach forgotten about as he began to hyperventilate when the elder man hurriedly rushed over to put a reassuring hand on hunched shoulders, “There has to be another way!”

“It’s either this, or we don’t make rent. I can spend one night a week with some sleaze, or we can go back to sleeping under an overpass littered with used needles and broken beer bottles.”

“At least I’d know you were safe and not held up by some crazed, drug addicted asshole. What if you got hurt?”

“I couldn’t live with myself letting you live so dangerously,” Sal stated, serious tone wavering a little while helplessly watching his boyfriend find solace in the host’s arms, face tucked toward the broad chest as a guard was easily let down, “We need a home with four walls and a door I can lock at night. Please try to understand, I’m doing all of this for you…” 

“I’m so stupid, I should have known…” 

“What do you mean by that?” Brian asked, stroking small circles along the bent back in an attempt at comforting him despite being alarmed by the sudden emotional outburst, “Don’t be so hard on yourself, you had no idea.” 

“He’d be gone for hours and come back with a handful of cash that I didn’t question, I-I was hungry all the time. He’d buy me cheap fast food and tell me he was gonna get us some place better,” Murr blubbered on as a trail of snot started to dribble down his face, a gentle hand wiping it away with a napkin, “Figured he had a job, but I never thought he was getting dragged around by random guys looking for a one night stand, never thought he’d do that for me…”

“I’d do _anything_ for you, baby boy, you know that.” Sal mused, scooting close enough to hold a fidgeting hand as his thumb rubbed over the thin knobs.

“All I ever did was weigh you down and be a selfish little brat while you risked your fucking life to provide for us…” 

“Hey now, that’s not true.”

“It hurts that I can never repay you unless I do the same.”

“Absolutely not.”

“If you can do it then so can I-“

“No!” 

Yelping at the yell produced, he pressed closer to the stranger that had taken them in as a peck pressed against his furrowed brow, “I-I just… I just want to help! You can’t do this by yourself.”

“Let me do this for you.”

“Please… There are other options, Sally.” 

“Like what? Baby, we’ve been over this, there aren’t any,” he tried to reason, giving a tender squeeze to the thin fingers twined between his thicker ones, “Nothing, nada, zilch. I can’t lose you, you’re the one good thing that came outta this hellhole, and if you got snatched up by some shady character I couldn’t go on living.” 

“Neither could I.”

“I’m not trying to be mean, just wanna keep you safe. You deserve that at least, someone who won’t throw you away,” he continued on, choking on oncoming tears that he had been oblivious to while trying to convince the other youngling not to endure any more pain than had already been forced upon him by people trusted to protect them no matter what, “I adore you, kiddo.” 

“I’m six months older than you, silly…”

“Your point?” 

A weak giggle came out in answer, he shifted toward the comforting confines that was his partner, feeling secure as pale lips kissed away stray tears before a skilled wrist twirled a forkful of pasta offered up to an eager mouth when one long strand was nibbled on until they met in a long, slow kiss that ended in a blush upon remembering that there was someone else in the room, “S-Sorry, Mr. Q…” 

“For what? You’ve had a lotta shit happen, it’s okay to have a breakdown as long as you feel better afterward.” 

“Glad someone else understands…”

“’Course I do, after everything you’ve been through your emotions are valid,” the host reassured, offering a gentle grin as the other combed back a stray strand of hair in a kind of coping mechanism he was oblivious to, “How about you two get some rest while I clean up?”

“On the couch?” 

“No, silly, there’s a spare room down the hall and to the right. Be warned, the kitties might try to sleep with you, that’s where they tend to hide when I run the vacuum.” 

Giving looks of gratitude, they were excused from the table soon after and comfortably curled into each other once they were tucked in. Desperately trying to fall asleep, Salvatore could not submit for long enough before an amount of guilt woke him, listening to faint snores that soothed his soul whenever if flailed frantically inside, silently relieved that his partner had found temporary escape. After an hour of watching the troubled youth, Sal slowly slid out of bed to wander around the new territory when he came across the adult sitting on the couch with a thick glass of whiskey sipped at as a burly black tomcat occupied his lap, a loud purr echoing throughout the living room.

“You’re willing to do so much for him, I admire that quality.” Brian remarked without looking away from glowing green gaze of the feline occupying most of his attention.

“We both had shitty home lives growing up, the only escape we ever got was in each other,” he said somberly as an empty cushion was filled with his scrawny, emaciated body, “They didn’t take kindly to finding out about us dating, I got my ass handed to me by my dad… We were kicked out after our moms begged us to be attracted to girls instead, but it didn’t work. We were on the streets in January, freezing our asses off and barely able to fend for ourselves.”

“It’s a wonder neither of you died of hypothermia.”

“Damn near came close… Luckily there were people in the neighborhood who would take us in for a while.”

“I can’t imagine how hard it was… When did all of this happen?” 

“We barely got out of high school, didn’t have any prospects for higher education and no solid job skills aside from what I’ve been doin’ on the sidelines. Had to do whatever I could to keep Murray alive.”

“What about you?”

“Heh, I never really cared so long as we were together,” the younger one gave with a twinge of self-loathing, “I had a chance of defending myself, he could get knocked over by a strong wind. I-I love him so much, need him even, ya know? If anything happened to him I wouldn’t have a reason to be here.”

“I get it, I really do, buddy. My parents weren’t as bad, but they weren’t too keen on me not having sexual attraction to anyone.” 

“Wait… Ah, that’d explain why you didn’t wanna have sex when we met.” 

“That and the fact that I’m twice your age at forty-two.” 

“Eh, that’s been the usual age demographic I’ve worked for,” he muttered, a faint flush heating slightly stubbled cheeks, “Makes sense why he freaked out…” 

“Guessin’ you didn’t use protection either.” 

“We barely had enough money to pay for our place, let alone condoms. Gonna give me a lecture about safe sex?” 

“No, I just wish that you’d take care of yourself as much as you do for James, you could have gotten sick and passed it on.” 

“My life doesn’t matter as much…”

“Take that back!” a higher pitched voice demanded from behind, startling both men and causing the cat to hiss in defense as they were joined by the last person in the household, kneeling in front of his significant other while holding both hands in a death grip, “I’d be dead under a bridge without you, Sal, so don’t you dare say that about yourself.”

“Babe… I-I’m sorry, I just don’t know how else to think of myself.” 

“You’re a hero, that’s what you are. Risked your fucking life for an ungrateful little twink, I was useless.” 

“Murray…” 

“Don’t, just listen… We’re gonna get better, okay? You’ll help us, right Mr. Q?” 

“Of course I will, I can’t stand by and watch you two suffer any longer,” he confirmed while patting a bent shoulder, “I’m sure Joe can put in a good word to get you both some extra help. Would you be willing to do that, hon?” 

“I-I guess so, can’t help the love of my life if I’m dead.” 

“That’s the spirit.” 

Almost a year had passed since the young men were taken in by people they considered more their parents than biological ones, lives filled with delinquency becoming better than expected as steady jobs were found; James tried his hand at acting, yet for a while interest had been lost due to most auditions being set ups for older perverted men who wanted him to strip down. Still interested in the film industry though, he was finally accepted as a director’s personal assistant after Joe had done a background check on the person just to be on the safe side for his adopted son.  
Salvatore had been a little luckier in finding a job opening as a bus boy for a nearby bar, working longer nights than expected as he got acquainted with the regular customers, a few staying while the tables were cleaned to slip him some money for the hard job done. Reluctantly at first, the tips had been pocketed away when coworkers weren’t looking before returning home to empty his pockets on the kitchen counter as a way of repaying their newfound guardian, yet every effort was always met with every cent returned to him the next morning.

“Dad, why do you keep giving me back my money? It’s for you.” he had brought up after a week during a routine family breakfast.

“The only payment I need is seeing you boys become contributing members of society,” Brian answered after swallowing a bite of eggs, “I’m proud of you both, so is Joey.” 

Both of them teared up at hearing such praise, for it was the first time anyone had ever paid attention to their efforts, Murr getting up to give a tight hug for added affection as he folded into the older man, “We wouldn’t be half as well off if it hadn’t been for you guys.”

“Glad we could help,” he remarked, squeezing the smaller body in a tight embrace before letting go, “Joe will be here tonight, said he has a surprise for you guys.”

Curiosities peaked, the two could not help trying to get hints from the older man even though none would be given so as not to spoil the upcoming evening; the couple went their separate ways after sharing a long, slow kiss that they always whined over having to end since there were countless hours between they would have another session of alone time. Returning home hours later, the two were inseparable as a make out session started on the sofa, the paler of the two falling into a covered lap without a second thought until a cleared throat startled them out of the passionate exchange.

“Do you need a few minutes to get your urges under control?” Q quipped in a teasing manner since their intense romanticism did not bother him much to their relief, “No blowjobs at the table, remember?” 

“Don’t worry, pops, we’ll wait until after dinner. Wouldn’t wanna scar our other father for life.” 

“Ya know I don’t care what you do just as long as it’s consensual, right?” the man in question spoke up as he entered the room, which only caused blushes to deepen in color, “How’re my boys?” 

“Good, actually,” Sal replied with a little more enthusiasm than usual, which made the three stare at him expectantly, “I got promoted to being a waiter.”

“That’s my Sally!” 

“And I may have started looking around for a new apartment,” he continued, tensing a little to watch initial reactions, “Not that we aren’t grateful for everything, it’s just that we probably need to move out at some point.” 

“Well, if you’re that keen on leaving, I’ve already got that part covered,” Joseph mentioned as the younger ones looked at him quizzically in turn, “It’s nothin’ fancy, but I put a down payment on a place closer to where you work. Whenever you’re ready, we’ll help you get settled in.” 

“R-Really, you’d do that for us?” 

“Of course, it’s what family does for each other.” 

Unable to thank the man enough, both brought the newcomer in for tight hugs that were met with strong squeezes accepting the act of affection, tears building up in James vision with little effort since he had been closer to the man that had bestowed such a generous gift upon them. Elated beyond words, they had to be coaxed by parental figures to eat healthy helping of eggplant parmesan and light rolls, plates halfway clean when they noticed a bottle of white wine had been set in the center of the table.

“What’s this, Joey? You don’t drink.” the host questioned curiously as a bushy brow arched in confusion.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t give it to you fellas, this is an event worth celebrating.”

“You keep spoiling us, dad…” Sal sighed out good-naturedly, a chorus of chuckles complimenting the air of faked annoyance as three filled flutes were passed around to everyone else, “One of these days you’re gonna have to let us do it for _you. _”__

__“I expect to be paid back in coffee and donuts.”_ _

__“’Course you do, so that means at least a dozen every month,”_ _

__“You better not be planning on killing our old man, he’s got no self-control when it comes to dessert. You should know that by now, babe,” Murr scolded in a playful manner, sipping at the clear beverage, “We’ll make it up to you, promise.”_ _

__“There’s no need.”_ _

__“Out of everything you guys have done it’s the least we can do!”_ _

__“You can start by cat-sitting when you move out, deal?” Q compromised as one of the felines in question hopped into an empty lap while padding at the slacks, “Seems like someone will miss Murray the most, huh Brooklyn Cat?”_ _

__“It’s nice to finally have a sister who wants me around, I guess third time’s the charm.”_ _

__“Probably why she took such a liking to you. Is she still trying to sleep in your bed?”_ _

__“When has she ever stopped? Sally even let her stay when he came home from work last night.”_ _

__“Looked like you needed some extra cuddles, don’t read too much into it…”_ _

__“Says the guy I caught feeding tuna to Chessie on multiple occasions,” James retorted, having an uncontrollable fit of giggles bubble out as an elbow nudged him in the ribs while he scratched under the black and white cat’s chin, “Think he’s in denial, Brook.”_ _

__“Oh God, now you’re talkin’ to them too?”_ _

__“Like father, like son.” Joe joked, sipping at a glass of water to pretend he was drinking along with the others._ _

__“Raised ‘em right, if I dare say so myself.”_ _

__That conversation seemed so far away now that the two were finally moved into the new home now furnished with more seating options and a small, but useable television in the living room, a queen sized mattress filled with more pillows and blankets than necessary since James was one to sleep with the air conditioning as low as possible due to sweating profusely especially after a night filled with passion not unlike this one._ _

__“Oh fuck, babe…”_ _

__“Didn’t we just finish that?” Sal asked, snorting out a huff of amusement at the soft whine that came from underneath as he slid out, pausing for a moment to lick up a trail of release that threatened to spill onto black sheets, leaving the rest behind to dry inside to claim his significant other, “Hope I made you feel good.”_ _

__“Always do, no one else can make me feel this way.”_ _

__“Stroking my ego right after you got me off with those thin hands of yours?”_ _

__“Can’t seem to help it,” he pouted playfully as he was pulled into the crook of a well-muscled arm, “Wanna feel as close as possible whenever I get the opportunity.”_ _

__“Whatdya mean? It’s not like I’m goin’ anywhere.”_ _

__“I meant with how busy we are, I feel like we’re growing apart a little. Guess that’s silly, huh?”_ _

__“Not at all,” the younger one reassured, pressing a firm kiss in the middle of his forehead as they began to be swallowed by the layers of quilts, “Even with all these changes there’s one thing that’ll always stay the same.”_ _

__“What’s that?”_ _

__“I’ll never stop loving you.”_ _

__“Neither will I,” Murr mused, lifting up to lock lips together for a long moment that only stopped when lungs begged for air, “Shit, I almost forgot… I got you somethin’ since it’s our three year anniversary and all.”_ _

__“Glad I’m not the only one who remembered.”_ _

__“How could I forget the most important day in my life?”_ _

__Reluctantly leaving the comfortable confines cocooned in, the two went separate ways to assigned hiding spots before returning to exchange wrapped boxes of two varying sizes; Sal’s stomach knotted nervously, for his offering was significantly smaller, a similar sized container sit aside while taking the one meant for him. Counting out loud from three to one, tearing paper filled the room as twin gasps of surprise punctuated the atmosphere._ _

__“Aww, I love it, Sally!” he cooed affectionately as a sterling silver band slipped on, lifting his wrist to inspect the engraving once light hit the etched words reading _Forever Salvatore’s_ , “If I had any doubt, I wouldn’t after this.”_ _

__“Such a dork… Weirdly enough, it was cheaper getting two of these rather than engagement rings.”_ _

__“You got more than one?”_ _

__“Well, I wanna make sure everyone knows who I belong to as well,” the older one gave with a wink as a matching accessory adorned his forearm with the words _Forever James_ carved into the band, “Makes it official.” _ _

__“There was no doubt in my mind we’d get married one day, call me a hopeless romantic.”_ _

__“Why am I not surprised?”_ _

__“’Cos you know me better than anyone.”_ _

__“And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sal declared, a passionate spark twinkling in emerald green eyes before the gaze returned to the package still in his lap, “What’s all this?”_ _

__“Figured the bar could use some new tankards now that you own it.”_ _

__“I don’t know what to say… Thank you, baby, I can’t wait to break them in.”_ _

__“Better take care of ‘em, I went through all the trouble hunting the right ones down.”_ _

__“You’d do that for me?”_ _

__“You act surprised by that,” Murr mused barely above a whisper as pressed a flattened palm against a stomach beginning to fill out, “I’m willing to do anything for you, the love of my life.”_ _

__“I’m lucky in that regard.”_ _

__“We both are.”_ _

__Later that week communication between the couple began to weaken when it started to become apparent that a newfound sense of independence was starting to become a major influence in the older man’s decisions, a level of confidence being introduced for the first time as well. Sal was proud of his partner, no doubt about that, but a part of him harbored a feeling of remorse; he would not wish for them to be back in poverty, but he was beginning to miss how the other had needed help. Returning home early enough to get groceries as usually done even proved to be doing too much after greeting the other with a soft smooch when he returned from a long day on set._ _

__“You don’t have to do the same chores every single time, ya know? For the first time I finally have money and I wanna take care of you for once.”_ _

__“Old habits die hard, hon,” Sal said with a half-hearted shrug as a hard sigh escaped, “Figured you had such a busy schedule that you didn’t want to be out much longer.”_ _

__“That’s another thing, when I checked my phone after leaving tonight’s meeting I saw I had twenty six missed calls from a certain someone.”_ _

__“Wonder who?”_ _

__“I-I don’t know what to say, honestly… Please, I don’t want you to worry about me like this.”_ _

__“I’m not used to being away from you for hours on end without knowing what’s going on.”_ _

__“I know, baby, but I’m not your responsibility,” Murr stated delicately, stroking the lettering on the matching bracelet as he brought up an olive toned hand to kiss at each knuckle, “If we’re together then we’re partners in this. I wanna pay half of everything, do half the housework. Can’t let you run yourself ragged, don’t want to be a widow so soon after we get married.”_ _

__“Guess I’m afraid to lose you, I’ve lost everyone else…”_ _

__“Not true, we still have our dads.”_ _

__“Aside from them. What if you find someone better?”_ _

__“Why would I wanna leave the best fiancé in the world?” he questioned, trying to lighten the mood as a thumb swiped over the back of a folded palm, “I love you more than life itself.”_ _

__Spending the night curled on the loveseat, Salvatore snuggled as close to his significant other as possible, showing vulnerability as he was finally being taken care of despite the stubborn demeanor. A cup of tea nestled between both hands, slow swallows warmed the empty feeling continued to cling on as tender thumbs dug into neglected knots at the base of a bent neck, grumbling grumpily when he was forced to stand up for a moment as jeans pooled in the floor._ _

__“Not in the mood tonight, babe.”_ _

__“Sex isn’t the only thing on my mind, just want you to be as comfortable as possible,” he explained, looking the other up and down innocently to make sure there was no distress as diamond pattern boxers pressed against his lap to reassume a similar position, “You look relaxed.”_ _

__“What can I say, you’ve got that magic touch.”_ _

__“I only use my powers for good.”_ _

__“Sure you do…”_ _

__Slightly slipping away due to stressful careers became inevitable to the point where they hardly saw each other for more than five minutes while awake, which bothered both to no end despite neither of them wanting to have another argument. Polishing tumblers, he was about to tell whomever had stumbled into the establishment that it was closed when Sal was met with a familiar face, breathing out a sigh of relief as a pseudo parent sat on a bar stool before ordering a non-alcoholic beverage, “Fancy seeing you here, old man.”_ _

__“Can’t I visit my kid unannounced?” Joe asked, trying to pay for the soda when it was firmly waved away, “Anyway, a little birdie is back at the nest, so I figured I’d come see you.”_ _

__“He has time for Q? That’s surprising…”_ _

__“Son… Don’t say anything you’ll regret about your future husband.”_ _

__“It’s just… I dunno, I feel like James is never around anymore, never know where he is or if he’s safe,” the younger one started off as the glass in his hand was set aside to assume a serious demeanor, “This is all so different. At least when we were in our old dump we were together, I just don’t wanna lose him and its happening. The tighter I hold on the farther he goes.”_ _

__“That’s the problem, honey, you have a death grip on anyone and they’re bound to resist. I know it’s hard, but you need to accept that Murray is gonna have more of his own life.”_ _

__“What little of it he isn’t spending it in the studio.”_ _

__“As unreasonable and childish as you two can be, you’re adults and are doing things like putting in enough hours to stay away from becoming homeless again. You can’t ever get back to how it was, but think about it, would you want to? Isn’t it better now that you both are having personal success and don’t have to risk your safety in the process?”_ _

__“…I guess you have a point.”_ _

__“As much as you’ve grown as a person, there’s one constant. You’d never want to jeopardize your relationship.”_ _

__“Damn straight!” Salvatore declared a little too loudly, which gained him a slight giggle as his chest puffed out proudly, “Look, I know he’s a grown man, but I can’t help worrying.”_ _

__“I don’t blame you, I’m the same way with your father, he’s one cat away from being considered a hoarder.”_ _

__“Says the man who has a pack of puppies at his house.”_ _

__“What can I say? They needed a home.”_ _

__“Reminds me of a similar story.”_ _

__Meanwhile another discussion was going on in the only home they had only known, the young adult curled closely into a broadened side, head nestled under a bearded chin as emotions were gathered into a semi-stable manner, “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong… Sal’s been acting possessive lately, like I’ll hurt myself if I go outside.”_ _

__“He isn’t trying to keep you locked up, is he?”_ _

__“No, but it’s hard to leave the apartment sometimes. When I’m there I’ve caught him staring like I’m gonna disappear if he blinks.”_ _

__“I’m sorry to hear that, baby boy,” Brian mused sympathetically as he stroked the small of a back as small sniffles came out with every breath, “These things will get harder before they get better, but I think in some place deep down he’s scared, he’s still adjusting to all of this.”_ _

__“What should we do?”_ _

__“Honestly, you just need a few beers and a night alone to talk about your problems. Don’t let him try to control you though, if you feel like a breather is necessary then take a break by leaving the room.”_ _

__“If I do that then he might leave… I can’t lose him, dad.”_ _

__“I know, sweetie, but it’ll only hurt worse if you stay silent and I’m sure Sal doesn’t want that. He’s a sensible guy after all.”_ _

__“You’re right about that, he’s always been my rock.”_ _

__Staying for dinner, Murray was hesitant on leaving when a firm nudge pushed him across the threshold much like on the day when they had moved residences, looking back to see a satisfied smile come from his adoptive father. Filled with determination after witnessing that someone was on his side, he boarded a cab and returned in a decent amount of time when another figure was bumped into unceremoniously, protective arms wrapping around instinctively to keep him from falling onto concrete, “Just as clumsy as the day we met…”_ _

__“You remember that?”_ _

__“How could I forget?” Sal questioned, holding the man close to his chest as footing was gained again, releasing the tightened grip to instead hold a thinner hand in his, “You could hardly stand on your own two feet, I carried both our book bags just in case you fell over.”_ _

__“Such a strong guy, I always felt safest whenever you would touch me. Still do, in fact.”_ _

__“I’m glad I still have that effect on you. Shall we go inside?”_ _

__Nodding in agreement, he was escorted into their bedroom after making a stop to gather a few cold cans and guided onto the slightly disheveled comforter as knees bumped against each other as they sat a few inches apart to prevent distractions from occurring, “Where do we begin?”_ _

__“Well, after talking to Joe, I’ve been thinking…” the younger of the two started, rubbing the back of carefully sculpted hair anxiously, “I shouldn’t have such a tight grip on you, you’re capable of having time to yourself without me interfering.”_ _

__“Agreed, but we also need to have time set aside for us. We’ll only grow further apart if we don’t try to be close like we used to be.”_ _

__“Well, we could have designated date nights.”_ _

__“That does sound like a good idea, we could take turns choosing where to go too.”_ _

__“I think that’s the quickest we’ve compromised.”_ _

__“You know this isn’t over right?” Murr asked gently, giving a reassuring squeeze to their connected hand before taking a swig of beer before continuing on, “It’s nothing bad, just something I’ve noticed. You know its okay to emotionally vulnerable with me, right?”_ _

__“Whatdya mean by that?”_ _

__“You’ve seen how many times I’ve cried, so it wouldn’t be fair of me to judge how you feel. Not that I would, I just want you to know that, no pressure or anything.”_ _

__Staying silent for a long moment, Salvatore directed his sight to the empty drink still tucked between folded legs as if he were trying to shrink down to a miniature size and drown in the little leftover liquid at the bottom, “I’m afraid, for some obvious reasons we’ve talked about already, but… I don’t regret proposing, I just can’t help wondering what if we end up like our biological parents trying to make a failing marriage work.”_ _

__“Well, unlike them, we have communication on our side. Granted we still need to work on it, but if we’re persistent it’ll be better than ever. Do you trust me?”_ _

__“More than anyone else,” he confirmed with a weak smile, chin still ducked down until a thin set of index and middle fingers lifted it as a timid peck was given to plush lips, “Sorry for being such a prick, I can’t believe you put up with that for two years.”_ _

__“Your intentions were in a good place and because of that, look at where we are now.”_ _

__“About to start a family, maybe even make grandparents out of those two dorks.”_ _

__“Shh, or they’ll hear you!” the older one warned, resting their foreheads together as hearty, slightly drunken laughs subsided, “Hey, Sally?”_ _

__“What is it, my love?”_ _

__“Do you believe in miracles?”_ _

__“How can I not when there’s one sitting right in front of me?”_ _

**Author's Note:**

> This work would not have been possible without my new friend totalbullshark.tumblr.com, so if you're reading this thank you for all the help/inspiration you've given me!


End file.
